Suction cleaner



E. L. SNYDER SUCTION CLEANER Oct. 3, 1939;

Filed April 8, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Izgenl. 679M 01" l I I W 5 Mia Oct. 3, 1939. v E. 1.. SNYDER 2,175,004

SUCTION CLEANER Filed April '8, 1937 s Sheets-Sheet 2 22 INVENTOR Ezyenel. Snyder BY/v Wvq W ATTORNEY E. L. SNYDER SUCTION CLEANER Oct. 3, 1939.

Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 8, 1937 INVENTOR Ezgene L Snyder ATTORNEY I Patented Oct. 3, 1939 PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Eugene L. Snyder, Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 8, 1937, Serial No. 135,646

8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and more particularly to a suction cleaner of the type adapted to be converted from on-the-floor to ofi-the-floor cleaning operation through the medium of an auxiliary hose and dusting tools.

The process of converting a cleaner from one mode of operation to the other is essentially that of closing oil the air passage from the nozzle 10 to the suction-creating means by a converter member associated with the dusting tool hose by means of which the suction is simultaneously transferred to the hose. The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement for performing the conversion operation and one that is particularly applicable to asuction cleaner designed with the axis of the motor and fan extending horizontally and transversely and the inlet opening to the fan eye located at one end of the combined fan chamber and motor housing.

A further object of the invention is to utilize a section of the normal air passage from the nozzle to the fan chamber as the converter member and mounting the same on the cleaner in such a manner as to swing bodily about the center of the fan eye and into a position to expose its open end to receive the converter member.

A suction cleaner embodying the novel features of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the cleaner arranged ipr normal floor cleaning operation and showing the nozzle chamber and passage leading therefrom to the fan chamber in vertical section as taken on line l-l of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the cleaner body arranged for normal floor cleaning operation and with portions broken away to show details of internal construction.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detail view in vertical section taken on line 33 of Figure 2 and showing the cam member on the swinging converter for operating the clutch release.

4 Figure 4 is a view in vertical section taken through the body of the machine along the axis of the motor as on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation taken from the opposite side of the cleaner with a portion of 50 the side wall removed to show the clutch release lever.

Figure .6 is a view in side elevation of the cleaner corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the converter swung into position to receive the converter fitting for ofi-the-floor cleaning operation.

Figure 7 is a top plan view corresponding to Figure 2 but showing the converter receiving portion of the air passage swung upwardly into converting position and the agitator drive clutch in released position, and

Figure 8 is a perspective View of the converter fitting carried at the end of the dusting tool hose.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the body of the suction cleaner embodying the novel features of the invention" comprises in general,a wheeled oar- 10 riage I, a nozzle casing 2 extending transversely across the front of the carriage and a cylindric casing 3 extending horizontally and transversely of the carriage I, a portion of said cylindric casing atone end forming a fan chamber and the remainder of the housing for the motor! which drives the suction fan and other parts of the cleaner as will later be set forth.

The Wheeled carriage consists of a pair of upright side frame members 5-5 with annular bearing portions at their upper ends including inturned annular flanges 5a, 5a forming trunnions on which the cylindric casing 3 is rotatably supported by means of suitable end bearings formed centrally of the end plates 6, 6 of the casing 3, as clearly shown in Figure 4. As already intimated,- one end of the cylindric casing 3 (at the left in Figure 4) forms the fan chamber 1 extending from the adjacent end wall of the casing to a transverse partition wall 3a which likewise forms a support for oneend of the motor 4. The other end of the motor is supported by the oposite end bearing plate 6 of the casing 3. Within the fan chamber is located a suction fan 8 directly connected with the motor being mounted on an extension of the armature shaft 4a thereof.

The fan chamber 1 communicates with a radially disposed discharge connection 9 formed integral with the casing 3 and, extending in a general rearward direction, terminates in a flanged outlet 9a to which is detachably connected one end of a dust receiving bag l0. Immediately above the outlet connection from the fan chamber is a socket II also formed integral with the casing 3 and into which is inserted the lower end 5 of a handle l2 by which the cleaner is maneuvered over the floor and to the outer end of which is attached the corresponding end of the dirt bag 10. Thus it will be observed that the casing 3 rotates with the swinging movement of the han- 0 dle and-that the dirt bag In swings with the handle as a part of the same unit or assembly.

Referring now to the nozzle casing 2, the same is relatively shallow, with its end portions extended beyond the side frame members 5, 5 of the carriage II A downwardly facing opening defines the suction mouth of the nozzle casing I through which the dirt-laden air enters the nozzle chamber immediately above and thence into the fan chamber through a passage presently to be identified. Within the nozzle chamber and extending the length thereof, is a rotary agitator I3 consisting essentially of a cylindric shell having carpet contacting brush and beater elements arranged on the surface thereof, but which need not be described in detail for the purpose of this disclosure. However, this rotary agitator is positively driven from the motor through a belt drive and intermediate clutch mechanism as will later be set forth.

Now, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4, the passage through which the air is conducted from the nozzle chamber to the fan chamber is located just outwardly beyond the fan chamber end of the rotative casing 3 and consists of a hollow casing section l4 formed integral with the nozzle casing 2 and, extending rearwardly and upwardly from the top wall of said nozzle casing, terminates in a rounded upper end portion concentric with the axis of the cylindric casing 3. The inner side of the casing section is closed by its flush contact with the adjacent side frame member 5 throughout the marginal flanges Ma and securely fastened thereto by means of machine screws Mb.

As thus far described, the casing section I4 is essentially an extension of the nozzle chamber carried upwardly and rearwardly to connect with the inlet or eye to the fan chamber and formed by the opening defined by the annular flange 5a of the adjacent end plate 5 of the supporting carriage I. But in order to provide for the conversion of the cleaner toand from ofif-the-floor cleaning operation, a converter member is incorporated in the upper portion of the casing section M. This converter member comprises a swinging tubular member l5 made up of several integral parts as follows: A collar or bushing l5a fits into the opening to the fan chamber with a substantial portion of its length extended axially therefrom and to a point just short of the outer side wall of the casing section M where it joins a transverse tubular section I512, extending at right angles to the axis of the fan eye to form substantially one-half the passage from the nozzle chamber to the fan chamber, the remainder of the passage being integral with the nozzle casing 2 and forming an outlet from the nozzle chamber meeting the rotative converter member l5 edge to edge in a plane intersecting the passage obliquely as clearly shown in Figure 1. Thus it will be seen that the actual air passage from the nozzle chamber to the fan chamber is substantially less in cross section than the easing section l4, this being primarily in order to maintain a symmetrical appearance at both ends of the cleaner, and in order to carry out this symmetry the inner or passage forming walls of the converting member are surrounded by an outer or false wall section It made up of a semicircular section concentric with the arcuate upperend portion with a space between and eventually uniting with the innerwall segments at the converter member IS in its normal position,

forms the upper end portion of a continuous and direct passage between the nozzle chamber and the eye or inlet opening to the fan chamber. But to convert the cleaner for the attachment of an auxiliary dusting tool hose, it is only necessary to swing the converter member upwardly through an angle of substantially 90 degrees to the position shown in Figure 6, with the aid of the projecting finger I! at the forward end of the converter.

In order to limit the swinging or rotative movement of the converter l5, and also to hold it securely in its extreme positions, there is mounted on the casing section It and immediately below the converter, a spring latch member 20 supported at one end upon a block 2| and having a free end portion bearing against the outer face of the arcuate surface of the converter [5, the latter having a pair of projections or round heads 22 projecting from the surface thereof at points spaced apart at an angle of substantially 90 degrees, one of said heads being adapted to engage an aperture in the spring latch member when said converter is in a. normal'position, as shown in Figure 1, and the other to engage the same aperture when the converter is swung upwardly to the position shown in Figure 6. This way the converter is yieldingly held in its two extreme positions but readily releasable when it is desired to swing the same from either position.

Now, assuming that the converter has been swung upwardly into a position to complete the converting operation shown in Figure 6, the mouth or open end thereof faces in a general forwardly and upwardly direction and in readiness to receive an especially designed fitting 23, preferably fixed to the end of the dusting tool hose 24. This converter fitting 23, (Figure 8) is substantially a rectangular extension at one end of the dusting tool hose having the same cross sectional contour as the converter at its open end and provided with a semi-circular recess 23a in one edge thereof, so that in inserting the converter fitting, the same will register with the annular passage leading directly into the fan chamber and thus avoid obstructing the free passage of air. If desired, a spring pressed latching member 23b may be carried by the converter fitting and engage a suitable notch on the edge of the converter for holding the fitting in place.

It is now readily apparent that having inserted the converter fitting 23 to the converter member l5 afterit has been swung upwardly into converting position, the suction created in the fan chamber 1 will be transmitted through the dusting tool hose 24 and thence to the particular tool carried at the outer end thereof.

During the dusting tool or off-the-floor operation, it necessarily follows that the main nozzle of the cleaner is inactive since there is no communication between the nozzle chamber and the fan chamber, and under these circumstances there is no necessity for the agitator l3 to be in operation,-particularly since undue carpet wear might readily develop if the cleaner occupies the same position on the floor for any considerable period of time. interrupt the operation of the agitator during ofi-the-floor cleaning operation and in the present disclosure this is accomplished by disconnecting the agitator drive belt pulley from the motor armature shaft through an intermediate clutch mechanism which will now be described in detail together with a converter actuated clutch release device which functions to auto- Consequently, it is desirable to matically declutch the agitator with the swing-,

ing of the converter member into its converting position.

As clearly shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, the agitator I3 is driven from the motor by a belt 25 engaging an annular groove l3a' near one end. The belt 25 is housed within a hollow section 26 formed integral with the nozzle casing 2 of the body, the same being a counterpart of the the opposite side of the carriage frame.

casing section I4 which houses the swinging converter l at the opposite end of the casing 3. The armature shaft 441 of the motor 4 has an extension projecting outwardly through an annular opening in the side frame member 5 corresponding to the inlet to the fan chamber on Carried on the extended end of the motor shaft 4a is a pulley 21 consisting of a hollow sleeve supported at its ends on ball bearing units 28, 28. The pulley 21 which carries the belt 25 intermediate the ball bearings 28, 28 is adapted to be disengaged from the drive shaft 4a. through the medium of a simple form of friction clutch consisting of a driving clutch member 29 fixed to the shaft immediately adjacent the innermost ball bearing 28. Formed at the end of the pulley sleeve 21 adjacent the driving clutch member is a driven clutch member 21a having a beveled clutch face coacting with a correspondingly beveled face on the driving clutch member 29.

Immediately adjacent the clutch member 21a on the pulley 21 is formed an annular groove 30 adapted to be engaged by a clutch shift lever 3! through the medium of a pin 3! a riding in said groove. As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5 this shift lever 3i is pivotally supported intermediate its ends on a pin '32 depending from the top wall of the belt housing 26 immediately above the belt 25. A relatively stiff torsion spring 33 surrounds the bearing pin 32 and is arranged to exert a constant pressure upon said lever in a direction to shift the pulley 21 out of frictional engagement with the clutch member 29. At the lower or free end of the shift lever 38 is an upturned ear 3) and contacting this ear is one end of a push rod 34 extending transversely of the cleaner body just above the nozzle portion 2 and immediately in front of the rotative casing 3 and, terminating at its opposite end substantially in the vertical plane of the inner face of the swinging converter l5, normally bears against a rounded cam member 35 formed at the forward end of the inner side wall of the converter as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3. And in this connection, it will be noted that the outer end portion of said rod 34 is slightly reduced in diameter as at 34a and is supported in a bearing member 36 depending from the top wall of the casing section hi just inwardly from the converter member l5, this reduced portion being slightly longer than thethickness of the bearing 36 thereby forming a shoulder to limit the endwise shifting of the rod toward the converter side of the casing under the pressure exerted through the shift lever by the torsion spring 33.

However, the shift lever 3| is inactive during the normal operation of the cleaner being held against movement by the push rod 34 with its pin 31a idling in the groove 30 of the pulley, the latter being held in driving connection with the-motor by the action of a coil spring 31 surrounding the outer end portion of the motor shaft la between'the outermost ball bearing unit 28 and another ball bearing unit 38 mounted at the extreme end of the shaft 4a and acting as an abutment for the end of the spring 31.

Now, the act of converting the cleaner for offthe-floor .operation consists in swinging the converter member i5 upwardly from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 6, in order to permit the attachment of the hose fitting 23. Accompanying this converter movement, is the releasing of the push rod 34 by the cam 35 and the rocking of the shift lever 3| in a direction to disengage the clutch members 29 and 21a by shifting the pulley 21 outwardly on the shaft 4a and against the tension of the spring 31. Thus with the pulley 21 disconnected from the motor shaft, the drive to the agitator is interrupted and the latter remains in operation until the cleaner is restored to normal cleaning operation by the obvious process of removing the hose fitting from the converter member I 5 and swinging the latter back into its normal position.

And in this connection it is to be noted that insofar as the function of converting the cleaner to and from oiT-the-floor cleaning operation is concerned, it is quite immaterial whether or not the cleaner is equipped with a rotary agitator. However, where an agitator is incorporated in the cleaner structure, its temporary disengagement from the motor through a clutch actuated by the converter insures its inoperative status during oif-the-floor cleaning operation.

As for the converter per se, it has the advan tage, particularly in a cleaner having the predominant structural features hereintofore enumerated, of utilizing the upper portion of the casing forming the air passageway from the nozzle chamber to the fan chamber as a converter member, merely by mounting it so that it can swing upwardly into a position to receive the converter fitting carried by the dusting tool hose. structurally, it presents a very simple and yet practical arrangement as it adds little or no weight to the cleaner as it virtually involves the swivel mounting of a section of air passage to accomplish the two-fold object of closing off the main nozzle and providing a port into which the dusting tool hose may be inserted.

Having set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a nozzle chamber and a fan chamber communicating with said nozzle chamher through an air passagedivided substantially intermediate its ends into sections normally abutting end to end to form a continuous passage, the section adjacent said fan chamber having pivotal support in the inlet opening to said fan chamber and adapted to be swung into a position to expose its free end for the attachment of a dusting tool hose.

2. In a suction cleaner. the combination of a casing including a nozzle chamber and a fan chamber having an inlet opening normally communicating with said nozzle chamber through an air passage formed by a tubular member hav- 5 ing a section pivotally mounted to swing about the axis of said inlet opening to and from a position to expose its free end to receive the end of a dusting tool hose.

3. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction creating means including a fan chamber having an inlet opening, a nozzle chamber adapted to communicate with said fan chamber, and a tubular member normally providing the: air passage from said nozzle chamber to said fan the axis of said inlet opening from its normal position to an angularly displaced position in which its free end is exposed to receive theend of a dusting tool hose.

4. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction creating means including a fan chamber having a laterally facing inlet opening, a nozzle chamber adapted to communicate with said fan chamber, and a tubular member normally providing the air passage from said nozzle chamber to said fan chamber and having a section pivotally mounted to swing about the axis of said inlet opening vand from its normal position to an angularly displaced position in which its free end is exposed to receive the end of a dusting tool hose.

5. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a fan chamber and a nozzle chamber, a rotary agitator mounted in said nozzle chamber, a fan mounted in said fan chamber, a motor for driving said fan and having operative connection with said agitator, a tubular member normally connecting said nozzle chamber with said fanchamber and having a section pivotally mounted to swing bodily through a predetermined angle to expose its free end to receive the end of a dusting tool hose, a clutch mechanism associated with said agitator, and clutch actuating means operative by the pivoted section of said tubular member in its swinging movement into a position to receive said hose end to release said clutch and disengage said agitator.

6. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a fan chamber and a nozzle chamber, arotary agitator mounted in said nozzle chamber, a fan mounted in said fan chamber, a motor in direct drivingconnection with said fan, driving mechanism between said motor and said agitator and including a clutch, said casing including an air passage connecting said nozzle chamber with said fan chamber and having a section thereof pivotally mounted in the inlet opening of said fan chamber and adapted to be .chamber and pivotally mounted to swing about swung into a position to expose its free end for the attachment of a dusting tool hose, and clutch actuating means operative by the swinging movement of said pivoted section into hose attaching position to actuate the clutch and disengage said agitator.

7. In a suction cleaner, the combination'of a casing including a nozzle chamber and a fan chamber having an inlet opening, a rotary agitator mounted in said nozzle chamber, a fan in said fan chamber, a motor for driving said fan, agitator driving means including a belt and a driving pulley on the shaft of said motor, a tubular member normally forming an air passage from said nozzle to said fan chamber and comprising a section mounted to swing about the inlet opening to said fan chamber'and through a predetermined angle to thereby expose its free end to receive the end of a dusting tool hose, and clutch mechanism interposed between said motor shaft and said agitator drive pulley and includof said tubular 8. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a nozzle chamber and a fan chamber having an inlet opening, a rotary agitator moun ed in said nozzle chamber, a fan in said fan ch mber, a motor for driving said fan, agitator driving means including a belt and a driving pulley on the shaft of said motor, a tubular member normally connecting said nozzle chamber with said fan chamber and having a section pivotally mounted to swing about the inlet opening to said fan chamber and through a predetermined angle to thereby expose its free end to receive a dusting'tool hose, clutch mechanism interposed between said motor shaft and said agitator drive pulley and clutch releasing means comprising a shift lever and an en'dwise shiftable rod adapted to contact a cam-n said tubular member, whereby the agitator drive is interrupted during the operation of the cleaner with dusting tools.

EUGENE L. SNYDER. 

